Device For Electrical Connection Of Electric And Electronic Components And Method Of Its Manufacture

Abstract

A device for electrical connection of components of electric and electronic circuits is made in the form of a two-coordinate commutation matrix of interlaced current conductors, in which for the purpose of providing the possibility of doubling of circuit connections, for compacting the wiring and reducing its cost, for providing an elastic device having the density of laying the contacts corresponding to the parameters of multilayer printed circuits, the matrix is made in the form of a cloth-type interlacing consisting of insulating threads and current lines separated one from another, each being formed by at least two non-insulated parallel current conductors and separated into two groups. Each of the groups corresponds to one coordinate and has parallel current lines, in which case each electric contact node is formed by the interlacing of the current conductors of the current lines relating to different groups.

Description

The present invention relates to devices for electrical connection of electric and electronic circuits and to methods of their manufacture. The invention can be used in electronic and radio engineering, in radiolocation as well as in other branches of engineering for making complicated electrical connections.

Known in the art are connections of components of electric circuits accomplished by means of insulated and non-insulated conductors combined into so called "point-to-point wiring." These connections are bulky, labor-consuming and little suitable for components used in microelectronics.

Printed wiring boards are widely used in the radio engineering technique. In these boards, however, location of the points of connection of the conductors disposed along two coordinates requires a great number of layers, accurate geometry of the contact elements and signal lines, accurate superposition of the layers and is associated with a complex process of making the electrical junctions between the layers which constitute one of the most unreliable parts of the printed circuit board.

All these facts complicate the manufacturing process, increase the cost of the devices and reduce the reliability of their operation.

Also known in the art are devices for electrical connection of components of electric and electronic circuits made in the form of a two-coordinate commutation matrix which consists of interlacing double-layer tapes of current-conducting and insulating materials. Electric contacts in this matrix are provided by corresponding mutual location of the current-conducting planes of the tapes disposed along different coordinates (see the USSR Author's Certificate No. 174 832).

During the process of automatic production of such matrices, it is necessary to orient the layers of each tape along the axis thereof and this is a very difficult operation.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate the above mentioned disadvantages.

The specific object of the invention is to provide a device for electrical connection of electric and electronic components which is simple in manufacture, allows the process of its manufacture to be automated, makes it possible to duplicate the circuit connections, makes the wiring compact and inexpensive, is elastic with compactly laid contacts approaching the parameters of multilayer printed wiring circuits and is much cheaper than the printed wiring boards. Another object is to provide a simple and reliable method of making such devices on an industrial scale.

This object is attained by providing a device for electrical connection of electric and electronic components made in the form of two-coordinate commutation matrix of interlaced current conductors, which devide, according to the invention, has a cloth-type interlacing consisting of insulating threads and non-contacting current lines, each being formed by at least two parallel bare conductors divided into two groups, each of these groups corresponding to one coordinate and having current lines, in which case each electric contact node is formed by the interlacing of the current conductors of the current lines relating to different groups.

It is expedient, that on the sections having no nodes of electric contacts the current lines intersect the insulating layer formed by the interlacing of the insulating threads at a constant pitch, the adjacent current lines inside each group being displaced for a half-pitch while the current lines of different groups at places of intersection in space are located at the opposite sides of the insulating layer.

On the sections having no electric contacts nodes the current lines of each group can be disposed on the opposite sides of the insulating layer and can be secured thereon by interlacing with at least one transverse insulating thread at a predetermined pitch.

The current conductors of one current line are preferably divided by additional insulating threads parallel to these conductors and taking part in the additional interlacing during the formation of the electric contact nodes, in which case the number of current conductors forming a current line and disposed along the shuttle of the cloth and the number of the additional insulating threads separating these conductors are preferably selected even.

This helps to make sound and reliable devices and allows the known equipment to be used for the manufacture of these devices.

In order to increase the reliability of the contact node, each current conductor may be covered with a layer of a solder and flux compound.

For the sake of strengthening, the electric contact nodes are preferably soldered by immersing them into a bath of molten solder.

A glass thread may be used as an insulating thread.

The whole device can be strengthened by means of an elastic insulating coating.

The method of making the device for electrical connection of electric and electronic components, according to the invention, consists in that the device is weaved on a loom with at least two shuttles and a Jacquard machine.

The invention may best be understood by reference to the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a general view of the device for electrical connection of electric and electronic components according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a section of the device according to the invention, in which the current lines are intersected in space without forming an electric contact node;

FIG. 3 is the electric contact node according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is another version of the device according to the invention, accomplished on a section of the electric contact node;

FIG. 5 is the same version of the device, according to the invention, in which the current lines are intersected in space without forming an electric contact node;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the current conductor according to the invention;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line VII--VII in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a current conductor with an accompanying insulating thread according to the invention;

FIG. 9 shows an exemplary connection of the matrix with the circuit components;

FIG. 10 is a folded matrix according to the invention;

FIG. 11 is a double-folded matrix with like flanged current lines;

FIG. 12 shows the matrix with a cut commutation field.

According to the invention, the device for electrical connection of electric and electronic components consists of a two-coordinate commutation matrix made in the form of a cloth-type interlacing. The interlacing comprises insulating threads 1 (FIG. 1) and current lines 2 and 2' divided into two groups, each being parallel to one of the coordinates. Inside each group the current lines are parallel and do not touch one another. For the purpose of providing a reserve and increasing the reliability of the electric contact node, each current line 2 is made of at least two parallel bare current conductors 3 and 3'.

The weave of the cloth of the matrix is regular both in the direction of the base and in the direction of the shuttle except for the section of location of the nodes 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 of electric contacts. The insulating cloth consists of a fabric composed of insulating threads and is not only insulating but also a carrier member into which in the process of interlacing there are laced the current lines 2 and 2' of both groups.

All current lines 2 and 2' intersect the insulating cloth formed by insulating threads 1 in the alternating-sign direction.

Any two adjacent lines of one group intersect the insulating cloth in different directions, i.e. where one of them enters the insulating cloth, the other leaves this cloth. If the distance between one inlet of the current line into the cloth and the other inlet thereof is conventionally called a pitch of the current line, the inlet of any adjacent current line of one group into the insulating cloth is spaced for a half-pitch, while the places of intersection of the insulating cloth by the current lines are spaced at a prescribed pitch.

The current lines 9 and 10 (FIG. 2) of different groups on the sections where they are intersected in space are located on the opposite sides of the insulation field inside the rectangle A formed by the interlacing of the insulating threads 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26, in which case the current line 9 is disposed under the rectangle A, while the current line 10 is disposed above it.

The breaking of the regular weave of the current lines on the insulating cloth takes place in the points of forming the nodes 4-8 (FIG. 1) of electric contacts which are located according to the selected code of connection of the current lines, i.e. according to the prescribed circuit diagram. In the drawings 4, 5 and 6 the nodes of electric contacts are located side-by-side along one of the current lines while the node 8 is separated therefrom.

In order to use the known looms for making the matrix and taking into consideration that the loom is equipped with a double-stroke shuttle, the current lines located along the shuttle of the cloth should be made of an even number of current conductors while the number of insulating threads within one pitch should also be even. The warp may have any number of current lines and insulating threads. In practice it is expedient to use three current conductors in the current line located on the warp and two current conductors in the current line located along the shuttle, whereas the number of insulating threads both along the shuttle and along the warp of the cloth within one pitch is preferably taken equal to four. These ratios provide for a sufficient reserve of the current conductors and a high reliability of the electric contact node as in this case there is ensured a small pitch of disposition of the current lines, therefore, a considerable density of disposition of the electric contact nodes.

Tentatively, we may consider that the use of the current conductors and insulating threads having 0.06 to 0.1 mm in a cross section provides for a pitch of disposition of the current lines equal to 1 to 2 mm.

The most important component in the matrix are the electric contact nodes 4-8 which are the "net" type interlacing of the current conductors 3 and 3' (FIG. 3) of the first and second groups located between the insulating threads 1 running along the shuttle and the cloth warp.

Such a node provides six points 27 of mechanical and electrical contacting duplicating each other. The current conductors 3 and 3' are mechanically tightened while the insulating threads 1 are so disposed relative to the electric contact node that they press the current conductors 3 and 3' against each other.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show another embodiment of the matrix, in which between the current conductors 28 and 28' there are disposed additional insulating threads 29 and 29' taking part in the common interlacing.

The current lines 30 running along the warp of the cloth are disposed on one side of the cloth and are secured by insulating threads 31 and 32 while the current lines 30' running along the shuttle of the cloth are disposed on the other side of the cloth and secured by the insulating threads 33 and 34.

FIG. 4 shows a section of the device with an electric contact node while FIG. 5 shows a section of the device on which the current lines 30 and 30' are intersected in space without forming an electric contact node.

Depending on the construction of the electric circuit to be used in connection with the matrix, the electric contact nodes can be arranged on any surface of the matrix or some components are located on one side of the cloth and other components are located on the other side of the same cloth.

This makes it possible to connect the components to the matrix not only about the periphery but over the total area thereof.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 4 the matrix provides for a high rate of reserve of the current conductors and the reliability of electric contact nodes.

The number of points of mechanical and electrical contacts in this matrix is equal to 18 because on the cloth warp the current lines are duplicated by three current conductors while along the shuttle they are duplicated by six current conductors. However, such a solution considerably increases the spacing between the current lines although it also increases the reliability of the device.

The matrix shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 may have a smaller number of current conductors along the shuttle of the cloth, for example four conductors. Such a matrix is more convenient for disposition of elastic components over its area than the matrix shown in FIG. 1.

If the loom is used for simultaneous making of several matrices, the rapport of the weave will be repeated many times so that there is provided a spacing between the current lines and the insulating threads running along each edge of the matrix so that when cutting the spaced section along the medium line, the length of the projected current lines of each matrix would correspond to the length required for making a contact. The free ends of the insulating threads are cut off. The cut edges of the cloth are preferably provided with a braiding of insulating threads running along the shuttle and the cloth warp in the form of a plait or with a dense non-ravelling braid, in which case the matrix cut from common cloth will have a strong edging which will maintain the geometry of disposition of the outlet ends of the current lines during the wiring.

Before or after the contacting of the matrix with the current components, the edging of the matrix can be cut off.

In order to facilitate the coating of the current lines, a brightly colored insulated thread is preferably introduced through a definite number of the current lines, for example to follow each tenth line, the color to of this thread differing from that of the basic insulating threads.

Insertion of the colored insulating threads into the warp of the cloth is not difficult while the insertion of these threads into the shuttle of the cloth requires the use of a loom provided with a corresponding number of shuttles.

For the purpose of mechanical strengthening of the electric contact nodes and for reducing and stabilizing their junction resistance, it is necessary to solder the electric contact nodes by immersing them into a solder whose melting point is such that it does not cause a destruction of the insulating threads. In order to facilitate the soldering operation, current conductors are used having a layer 35 (FIG. 6) of a solder and a layer 36 of a flux compound.

A copper wire is the best material for the current conductors while a glass thread is the best material for the insulating threads. The components operating under normal climatic conditions may be provided with insulating threads in the form of silk, cotton or synthetic threads.

In order to protect the matrix against any external effect and to prevent it from ocassional short circuits and damages, it should be coated with a layer 37 (FIG. 7) of an elastic insulating compound or impregnated with an elastic compound.

In making the matrix it is advisable to use a loom or a tape weaving machine equipped with a Jacquard machine, said loom having at least two shuttles.

If the current conductors are made of a low-quality wire or in case of an unskilled adjustment of the loom in the process of braiding, the wire can be broken. When it is not possible to eliminate the causes, the number of breakdowns can be considerably reduced by means of a current conductor 38 (FIG. 8) twisted together with an accompanying thread 39.

The accompanying thread 39 practically does not affect the quality of the electric contact node. The thread 39 can be removed from the ready matrix by means of burning or etching depending on the properties of the material of this thread and on the properties of the material of the insulating thread.

It is necessary to pay attention to the advantages of the matrix when using one of its basic properties, that is the flexibility.

The matrix can be made in the form of a flexible train provided with all the necessary electrical connections. In this case the unit 40 (FIG. 9) can be made without a commutation board. During the wiring it is sufficient to connect the terminals 41 of the circuit components to the terminals 42 of the cloth of the matrices 43 and to lead it through the connector 44 for connection with the other unit (not shown).

The flexibility of the matrix allows it to be pleated as shown in FIG. 10, and this is very important for microelectronics components.

If the matrix 45 (FIG. 11) is folded in half and the current lines 46 are closed into a ring, the reliability of the matrix will be considerably increased.

The density of disposition of the electric contact nodes can be considerably increased by making partial cuttings 47 and 48 having a different length, in which case the current lines 49 are used repeatedly.

The above-described device for electrical connection of electric and electronic components consisting of a thin elastic cloth, which can be rolled up or folded in any direction, makes it possible to solve the problem of obtaining both irregular and regular code of commutation for a circuit of any complexity, in which case the connections are provided in one layer of the cloth while the working elements are connected to any side along the periphery and over the area of the matrix.

The intensity of laying of the electric contact nodes is high and basically depends on the rated diameters of the wires and insulating threads approaching the commutation possibilities of the multilayer printed circuit board.

The matrix can be made with the help of well known and widely used textile equipment whose efficiency in making the matrices is the same as that of the machine for weaving curtain (tapestry) fabric.

The cost of the matrix is many times lower than that of the multilayer printed circuit boards. The reliability of the matrix is much higher than that of the printed circuit boards.

The flexibility of the matrix provides for new possibilities in designing the units, components and machines, particularly in the microelectronics technique.

Claims

We claim:

1. A device for electrical connection of components of electric and electronic circuits consisting of a two-coordinate commutation matrix comprising in combination: insulating threads woven in two coordinates; non-insulating parallel current conductors, at least two said current conductors forming one current line; all said current lines being divided into two groups, each corresponding to one coordinate and having parallel current lines; said insulating threads and said current lines being interlaced and having the form of a cloth with nodes of electric contacts; said nodes of electric contacts being formed by weaving said current conductors of the current lines relating to different groups the adjacent conductors in the same line being interlaced with the lines of the other coordinate at each node so as to alternate in their weaving pattern with one conductor passing over and under the lines of the conductors of the other coordinate whereas the adjacent conductor of the same current line passes under and over the conductors of the other coordinate.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which on the section having no nodes of electric contacts said insulating threads form an insulating layer due to the interlacing, while said current lines intersect said insulating layer at a constant pitch, the adjacent current lines inside of each group being displaced a half-pitch, whereas said current lines of different groups are located on opposite sides of said insulating layer at the places of intersection in space.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, comprising additional insulating threads to separate said current conductors forming a single current line and additionally interlaced at said electric contact nodes.